Could you run AUSA? We want you to run for election!

Each year AUSA runs elections for all the positions on the Executive. A new group of students is elected by their fellow students to serve as the governance board of AUSA.

The AUSA elections are coming up! This is your chance to decide who will run your students’ association. Think you could contribute to student life on campus? Then you should run for election.

If you would like to run for election, or would like to know more, do not hesitate to contact the Education Vice-President at evp@ausa.org.nz. Check out the contact details for the incumbent currently in the position you are interested in here, and consider approaching them for suggestions and information as well.

Elections

The election is for Officers (the President, Vice-Presidents and Treasurer of AUSA, who are paid a weekly honorarium), and the Portfolios (volunteer positions that have particular responsibilities, as well as general responsibilities to AUSA). Nominations are open from Monday 18th July at 4pm – Friday 5th August at 3pm.

Eligibility

Nomination is open to currently enrolled students of the University of Auckland, who must be members of AUSA (sign-up is free at AUSA Reception). All nominees must present proof of current enrolment.

Available positions

There are 5 officer positions available on the AUSA Exeuctive which are currently open for nomination. They are:

There are 12 portfolio positions available on the AUSA Executive which are currently open for nomination. They are:

Clubs and Societies Officer: The CSO is responsible to the AUSA Executive for supervising the affairs, safeguarding the interests, and being responsible for all matters than concern all affiliated bodies and clubs at the University.

Culture and Arts Officer: The CAO is responsible to the Executive for matters connected with cultural and artistic activities and pursuits. This involves running events and supporting relevant activities on campus.

Environmental Affairs Officer: The EAO is responsible to the Executive for matters concerning the environment. This involves lobbying on environmental issues nationally and within the University (for example on fossil fuel divestment), supporting and organising environmental initiatives on campus (for example increased cycling facilities or environmental events), and ensuring AUSA fulfils its environmental obligations (for example through recycling and procurement).

Grafton Representative: The Grafton Representative is responsible to the Executive for representing and supporting students studying at the Grafton campus. Candidates for Grafton Rep must study at Grafton campus.

International Students’ Officer: The International Students’ Officer must be either an international students, or have been born overseas and lived overseas

Media Officer: The Media Officer is responsible to the Executive for working on the Association’s media and publications. This includes supporting Craccum and bFM and working on media, campaigns and AUSA’s public front.

Political Engagement Officer: The Political Engagement Officer works to foster political engagement among students and bring political activity to campus.

Queer Rights Officer: The Queer Rights Officer supports, represents and advocates for queer students on campus. This involves running events and pushing for change for queer students. QRO candidates must identify as queer.

Student Forum Chair: The Student Forum Chair serves as the Chairperson of the Student Forum, and is responsible for hosting open meetings for students each week, and facilitating their feedback.

Tamaki Representative: The Tamaki Representative is responsible to the Executive for representing and supporting students studying at the Tamaki campus.

Women’s Rights Officer: The Women’s Rights Officers advocate for, represent and support female students on campus, from running events, organising Womenspace, and pushing women’s issues. WRO candidates may run as individuals or as pairs. They must identify as female.

Craccum Editor: The Craccum Editor is responsible for compiling and editing 24 issues of Craccum each year. Craccum candidates may run as individuals or as pairs. They are eligible for a weekly honorarium for their work, and office space on campus.

Read more about the positions here. Note that a recent election has meant some changes to positions!

The Executive

What is AUSA?

AUSA is a charitable organisation that exists entirely to serve students. It is an organisation that exists to serve students. It is unique in that it is run by students for students. Currently, AUSA employs around ten staff members and has an annual turnover of approximately $1.5m. Its direction and spending is controlled entirely by the student executive.

Its core services include:

Advocacy, including the Student Advice Hub and national advocacy for student affairs

Representation, including committee appointments and the class representative system

Welfare, whether financial or support for groups of students, including equity groups

Student events

Making campus a better place for students

What is the Executive?

The Executive is made up entirely of elected students. It effectively serves as the governing board of the organisation. This means executive members are responsible to students for the functioning of an organisation vested in its members. They pass the budget and approve spending, set the direction of the Association, directly organise and manage events and services, and generally run AUSA as a whole.

What do Executive members do?

As an Executive member, you will have the chance to be involved in a variety of activities, and to create new activities and services for students. The range of things you can get involved in includes:

Being part of a team of 20 students who oversee a $1.5m organisation to serve students

Organising events and activities on campus for students, for example O-Week, Re-O Week, End of Daze, the AUSA Ball, Politics Week, Womensfest, Market Days, Ecofest and many more – the list goes on!

Representing students to the University on committees such as the University of Auckland Council, Senate, Education Committee, Teaching and Learning Quality Committee, Equity Committee, Student Consultative Group, as well as directly to university staff and departments.

Supporting students in need financially (through welfare services such as the foodbank, hardship grant scheme and other grants and support services) and emotionally (through support and spaces such as Womenspace and Queerspace).

Working to improve services on campus by ensuring the student voice is heard

Executive members are expected to work within their own portfolio, as well as contribute generally to AUSA work. However, what you make of the role is up to you! Funding, resources and support are available through the Association, and you have the opportunity to work on your own, in teams, or to support others. Generally the commitment expected is 5-10 hours per week. Some periods are much busier than others – expect to be hands-on during O-Week, but less so during exam time.

Importantly, Executive members are expected to attend Executive meetings on Monday evenings. These take place every Monday evening at 6pm during the semester, and every second Monday evening during semester breaks. Executive members must attend or seek leave; failure to be granted leave twice in a row results in the member’s position lapsing.

Campaigning

Why should you run?

Running for AUSA election is a great way to gain a very wide range of experience well beyond what you normally encounter at university. It offers you the opportunity to serve students and make campus a better place for you and others like you. And it gives you a way to have a voice and secure the student voice for the future. What’s more, it’s heaps of fun, and a great way to get to know your peers and the University.

What do you have to do to win?

Convince your fellow students, of course!

A typical campaign includes:

A facebook page or group

Posters (preferably witty!) in the Quad and other student areas

Flyer dropping (printed flyers dropped in lecture theatres very early in the morning for students to see during class)

Chalking (advertising on the pavement on voting days or in advance)

Lecture speaks (short stump speeches to classes of students)

Glad handling (catching students by the voting booths and convincing them to vote)

Lots of hassling your friends to help you campaign, vote for you, and convince their friends to vote for you

But really, it’s up to you! Every campaign is different, and it depends on your strengths, your opposition and your ideas. Some candidates do very little, others do a lot. Some campaign entirely on social media, some don’t go online at all. Some target all students, some just try to entice their own faculty.

One thing we would recommend is to make sure you have support. That might mean enlisting your sister, boyfriend or best friend to share every facebook post you make and fight through those early mornings with you. Alternatively, it might mean banding together with a friend (even a brand new friend) who is also running for election so that you help each other.

Summary

Nominations for these positions are now open, and close on Friday 5th August at 3pm

Forms can be collected and returned to AUSA Reception

Officer positions are paid a weekly honoraria

Portfolio positions are voluntary roles, and what you do with them is up to you

You must be committed to students and keen to make a difference! Expect to commit up to ten hours a week – although it tends to be flexible

Contact us for more information – email evp@ausa.org.nz with questions or for more information.

Nomination Forms

Nomination forms are available from AUSA Reception, AUSA House, 4 Alfred St. These must be filled out and returned to AUSA Reception by 3pm on Friday August 5th.